which you shall cary newe in your cloake bagges Who shall then bee the man so miserable that will admit in our Fraunce such people whose very name is so ill receaued and odious that to name them only skarreth the little children and maketh them affrayde Alas Take heede Frenchmen it be not reproched you before God how ye haue chaced away your owne brethren to lodge among you barbarous people take heede that this curse fall not vpon your heads to be called iustlie Vipers who teares out the entrals of your own mother that is to say of your own natiue country beleeue that euerie one that wold ruine the building of Fraunce shall remaine buried in the ruines But if the lawes do punish a man for hauing slaine a man who is his like by how much more strong reason shall those be punished who do not only kill a man but procure the entire death and destruction of a kingdome The king of Spaine who here to fore said that we must come to no tretie of peace with our king being swarued from the faith ceased not in the mean time and giueth not yet ouer to assay by all meanes to make peace with his subiects of Holland and Zeland who are Lutheriens Caluinists or Anabaptistes He offreth to leaue them their free exercise of religion to let them haue their citties and gouernments in the same estate wherin they possesse thē demandeth only at their handes that they woulde but acknowledge him for their king But those States ful wel knowe to whom they appertaine and what manner a thing the Spanish domination is that this nation doth applaud as doth the Crocodile when she wil cast forth her venome or bite witnes be the poor Earls of Aignemont of Horn put cruelly to death notwithstanding their seruices done for the reducing of countries into his obedience the faith to them promised The death also procured by poison as is said to the poor Lord of Montigny the end of the poore Marquesse of Bergues and of al the Nobility which by one or other meane they race and root cleane out King Henry the fourth can wel tel how to defie all their false drifts he mistrusteth their cunning cariages for all their sending him the portraite of the infant He may too well knowe how when Ferdinando of Arragon the last Philip Archduk of Austria were in treaty of the mariage of Madam Claudi of Fraunce with Charles the fifth the father of this Philip nowe rayning and after the mariage concluded sworne and confirmed at Blois the king of Fraunce Lewes the twelfth his Lieutenants mistrusting nothing the Spainards ranne vppon them defeating two French Armies the one in Calabria vnder the Conduct of the Lord d'Anbigny the other at Cirignolla lead by the Duke of Nemours the Lord Lewes d'Armignac the chiefe commanders of the Spaniards alledging for all excuses that they had heard of no prohibition giuen them from their maister to make warres At this present the king of Spaine being of the age of sixty 7. yeares and aboue vnlustly of his person as he is doubtles seeth himselfe at the period of his subtilties cannot tel by what meanes to keepe that which he hath purloined from others his faire promises vapour away to nothing his mind is bewrayed and his counsels discouered Hee seeketh to helpe himselfe with the feebler side in Fraunce to the end to keepe vs stil in war for feare least the weaker parte through want of means should abandōn the war hee would make vs knocke one another on the heades that he may make his preie on vs afterward He goeth about to cut our throats with our own kniues and to ouerthrowe vs with our owne weapons because by his hee knoweth he cannot do it He entertaineth the warre in our country for feare least wee set vpon him in his owne And if that parte which he taketh should become the stronger he would incontinent war vpon it He is not yet come to sollicite as they call them the Huguenotes of Fraunce to rebell against King Henrie the fourth and to wage warre vpon him Let then all Princes and Potentates take heed of the enterprises and counsels of so charitable a neighbour And you Frenchmen learn to be wise by your owne harmes I adiure you all by the honour and respect you beare vnto God by the faith loue and loyaltie you owe to King Henry the fourth giuen by God vnto Fraunce sonne to your predecessor Kings issued from the loynes of S. Lewes and by the charity yee owe to your countrie and to the safetie of your selues of your wiues and of your children and to the conseruation of our religion Temples and Fortunes cease among your selues this peeuish rebellion if as yet it haue place in anie of you and reduce it to a due obedience which onely can make next after the grace of God spring againe vpon vs the blisse of our fathers and the peace and tranquillitie of their golden ages Some preach that religion is in great ieopar die that many of the fathers in the primitiue Church are dead for the catholick faith and that we must die for the same I grant it but they must giue vs the Scriptures as they are vnderstood We are already to die when they shal force vs to renounce our Sauiour Iesus Christ to sacrifice vnto Idols Then and no otherwise ought death to bee endured in this case so haue those fathers receaued it we will die before we will bee other than followers of the true Catholike and Apostolike religion Our fathers in the church fled in time of persecution none of them haue resisted kings in armes finding it better to suffer then to reuolt Our Lord also counselled his Apostles to flie in time of persecution from one cittye to an other and not to make any resistance by armes And ye the Lords of the Cleargy knowe ye that the doctrine which God hath giuen vs to you principally as a pledge of his grace hall neuer gette his perfect and resplendent brightnesse as long as these bloudy warres shall trouble the sweete streams flowing from so goodly a fountain O how the league doth well shew it selfe to be come from the lowest cauernes of hell sith it putteth diuision namely among the Catholikes who being vnited together might liuely haue set vpon the Heritikes and by faire war cut off many thousands of them Knowe that you haue neede of the materiall sword which is that of the kinge to make you liue in safety rest and iustice and to maintain this our religion which is the trew soule of the body of our estate And sure needefull it is to conserue the kingdome in his entire body without diuiding it into his mēbers for fear least by the cutting off of som one principall this soule take his flight away Behold I pray you the fruit of the preachings of some amongst you and possible albeit not all moued with a good
Austria Earle of Flanders of Artois and of Charrolois the fift at day of Iuly 1499. the saide Lorde Chancellour being then in the Cittie of Arras in the Bishoppes pallace And for that such great actes and ceremonies which haue bin vsed and obserued therein to the honour exaltation profit and aduantage of the King and his Crowne are worthie of perpetuall memorie I haue beene so bolde at his instance to couch in writing all that I could see and vnderstand touching this present act and busines and especially since the nine and twentie of Iune last past vntill the fift of Iuly next ensuing And to come to the matter certaine and true it is that the Lord Chancellor departed the same day at after dinner from Dourlent in the countrie of Picardy to goe for the Cittie of Arras where he arriued before night being all the way accompanied with the Lordes de Rauestain and de la Gruture with Charles de la Vernada Knight of the same place Master Christopher de Cremona Counsellers of state and ordinarie Masters of Requests of the Kings house Master Ralfe de Launoy Baily of Amiens Master Francis d'Estain Hugh de Baigel Almaury de Quinqui ville Nicholas de Foix Philip d'Estas Richard Nepueu Peter de la Vernada common Counsellers Macé Toustain the Kings Proctor generall in his Priuie Counsell John Bourdelot the Kings Proctor generall in his Courte of Parliament at Paris Antony le Viste Register of the Chauncery of France Dreux Budé John de Villebresme Ralfe Guyot Philip Maillart Notaries and Secretaries to his Maiestie and to me And as the Lord Chauncellor came with this traine within a mile and halfe of the Cittie of Arras riding in gallant order hauing before him the Gentleman Vsher of the priuie Councell carrying vpon his shoulder in open sight his mace grauen and imbossed with the Kings Armes after the Gentleman Vsher followed next the Clarke of the Signet who carried the Scale as the vse is when the Lord Chauncellor rideth his circuits into the Countrey on either side of this Clarke of the Signet marched one of the two kinges of Armes of our Lord the King enrobed with their coates of Armes to wit Mont-ioye the chiefe king of Armes of France and Normandie here came to meete the Lorde Chancellor the Bishop of Cambray Thomas de Pleures Knight Chancellor to the Archduke the Lorde Earle of Nassau the Lorde of Fiennes and diuers others both Knightes and Squiers most of them of the Archdukes Councell The Bishop addressing himselfe towards the Chancellor signified vnto him that the Lordes of his companie were sent by the Archduke his Master to informe him that the saide Lorde Archduke was most ioyfull of his ariuall and likewise of that of all the other Lords in traine with him that they were al the welcōmest men that might be with other faire speeches gentle greetings sweete salutations all this nobilitie doing great reuerence and honour to the L. Chancellor and giuing princely entertainement to all the Nobles of his troupe for the which the L. Chancellor returned most honorable thankes to the Archduke and to the other Lordes who were come thither in his behalfe And soone after they on both sides tooke their way to goe vnto the Cittie As the whole company arriued at the entrance of the Suburbes the Chancellor was met by the Archduke himselfe who to receiue him the more honorablie and to meete him by the way was departed on horsebacke from the Abbey of Saint Vas in the Cittie of Arras and had passed cleane through the greatest streete thereof And so soone as the Archduke accompanied with a great number both of Knightes of his order with Squiers and other officers of his household who were marshalled on euery side to make way and place for the Chancellor and those of his traine to passe perceiued the Chancellor hee put his hand to his hatte and vncouering his head hastened on his Mule to march towards the Lorde Chancellor whom hee embraced holding still his hat in hand and there gaue him the gentle welcome demaunding him in this manner How dooth my Lorde the King To whom the Chancellor answered very well God bee thanked as hee intended to declare vnto him more amply The like great entertainement gaue this Archduke to the Lordes of Rauestain and la Gruture saluting graciously the Masters of Requests and the other of the Kings Counsaile who were there present After many friendly speeches and countenances past betweene the Archduke the Chancellor and the Lorde Rauestain the Archduke holding still his hatte in his hand and would not bee couered except the Chancellor would also put on the Archduke and the Chancellor roade on their way to enter into the Cittie the Chancellor still holding the right hand and the Gentleman Vsher to the Kings Councel bearing vp his mace in open sight and the Clarke of the Signet hauing the Kinges seale vpon his backe as the custome is when the Chancellor rideth thorough the Kingdome and the two Kinges of Armes in their order nor was there any other there on the behalfe of the Archduke or Chancellor which thing was and hath been greatly noted as well by the Archdukes people and officers as by the other Cittisens and Countrie whereof there was no small number both within the Cittie and without thither flocked to beholde this their magnificent entrance Thus the Archduke conducted along the Lorde Chancellor still parling vnto him vncouering his head oftentimes and by no meanes would not put on againe except the Chancellor were couered as soone as hee and thus did hee bring him along vnto the verie porch of the cloyster of the great Church whence the Archduke would by all force carrie him into the Bishops Pallace in the which the Lorde Chancellor hath alwaies been lodged nor coulde the entreaties and requests which the Chancellor made vnto him to content himselfe that hee had done so much vnto him for the honour of his King preuaile any thing at all Vpon these enterparlies the Archduke departing from the Chancellor withdrew himselfe into the Cittie of Arras to his lodging in Saint Vas his Abbey and the Lorde Chancellor into the Bishops pallace accompanied with the Earle of Nassau and other great personages of the Archdukes house and afterward euerie one of the Chancellors trayne retyred themselues into such lodgings as the herbingers had appoynted for them After many goings and commings to and fro which by the Lorde Bishoppe Thomas de Pleures the Countie Nassau the Lord of Mont-labais and other of the Archdukes officers during all the dayes of Munday Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday following being the first second third and fourth of Iuly were made to the Chauncellour into his lodging to treate and conclude vpon some poynts and articles propounded by the Kinges Proctor generall in his Courte of Parliament The said matters comming to an issue upon thursdaye request was made by the Archdukes officers to the Lorde Chancellor that
His Maiesty knoweth too well that hee cannot purchase the grace of God if being aduanced by him into a more eminent than they in all maner of vertuous actions Hee sheweth already by the diligence which he vseth in feats of armes that as he is far gone in the iourny of his age and ther remaining for him so many things to be done in the world the honour and labour whereof it seemeth that God hath reserued for him he wil imitate the birds of the more northen nations where the day hauing but one hower of length they flie more couragiously more swiftly then any other of the aire For he hath in a small time reduced into his obedience the most of the people of his kingdome and sheweth them by the mild dealing he vseth towards them that he hath conquered them not for his owne particular good but to bring them into their greater ease and securitie Alreadie his Maiesty doeth meditate nothing els but to make of his court the cabinet of the most excellent rarest thinges of the earth and that therein shall be found the most vertuous honest and best accomplished men of this world Vertue shall be in esteem if euer it were he pretendeth so soon as he shal haue satisfied those vnto whom his people miserable as it is hath for their follies past constrained to promise recompences quite to abolish or so to moderate the taxes that his poore subiectes shal haue cause for euer to pray vnto the Almightie for him and his memorie therefore may be sacred to all posteritie He is not ignorant how by the too great excesse of the saide taxes his people remaineth in languishing sort the nobilitie who followeth him is made poor because the Pezant cannot nor dare not till the lands of the nobility of others for fear of the said taxes by means wherof the groūd should ly barren without tillage the Nobilitie which hath no other riches but of the glebe soyl can no longer follow and serue him nor the people of the country or husbandman the verie forge of all commodities of the kingdome succour him any longer Yee then of the Nobility if there bee any of this qualitie who wil against the deuoir of his profession weare the skarfe of the League in steed of our white collour of the flowres de Luce of France what honor think you to leaue to your children to say that you haue fostered and nourished this mostrous Hydra the league which hath brought foorth vnto vs our children so many mischiefs and miseries See you that you stop vp the light and brightnes of your races vnder the sinders of your rebellion Take ye take ye the collour of your brethren and permit not that your noble race remaine vilanized stayned and spotted with treason towads your selues and towardes you countrie And you good people whose prosperity is so much different from that in which our deceased kings and fathers left you behould the surface of our poore country aunciently adorned with your goodly buildings I cānot speak this without teares nowe desert rugged and without tillage Where is this liberty promised you by the league Alas As said I thinke Theophrastus ' to the Greekes They haue put in too much vinegre where is this abolition of taxes Alas they are six fold as many as they were before Where is this restablishment of religion Alas they haue beaten downe to the grounde and profaned your churches the priests themselues taking armes haue run into a thousande villainies Consider that there is in Fraunce neither iustice nor publik force but from your king which may sauegard ye from iniury Perceaue ye not how you empouerish your selues daly and that these hunger-starued gouernors whose rebellion ye nourish will stifle you one of these daies to haue your bloud will flea you to haue your skins seeing that amongst them the richest hath nought to liue vpon if it be not vpon your substance nor any commoditie which they forge not alreadie vpon your battered Anuile Liue liue vnder your king and vnder his lawes chace far from you these hireling-preachers of sedition this miserable fierers and destroyers of our countrie it is not religion but rebellion they preach away with them The Duke de Maine acknowledgeth alreadie that he hath bene deceiued and abused by them All the world knoweth it and there is hope seeing that the Crowne as said Titus Vespatians son called for his vertue and goodnesse the delight and darling of the worlde is a gift of God bestowed on him whome hee pleaseth by his onlie hand and pure will that the said Duke of Maine will reknowledge his Maiestie for his King and will repose more confidence in him than in any other prince liuing Well hee knoweth that the Maximees of Spaine are first to make a hande of them who aide them in the Conquest of their prouinces saying iustlie that they cānot credit the faith of them who haue failed in that which they owe to their owne countrie and when all that were not so neuer was there man who followed them but is dead miserably The said Duke of Maine hath done but too much for his part when hee had had place but to reuenge the death of his brethrē wherunto K. Henry the 4. was neuer consenting If he passe further he remaneth for euer most culpable and blameworthy Let him not then let slip this good occasion whilest the time is that he may come in and yeeld himself to his king with honor making shew of the common pretext of religion of no other thing to haue mooued him to take armes and let him call to minde how hee hath to deale with a kinge of France who shal neuer be without successor to reuenge all iniuries that his maiesty may one day come to an accord with the K. of Spaine and so then by that meane this Duke may remaine oppressed and of small esteeme Let him confesse that euery Christian ought to leuell onely at the saluation of his soule the which he can neuer obtain at Gods hands nor any good for his children but in restoring vnto his kinge that which he detained vniustly from his kingdome against the dutie of a subtect a vassall and an officer to the crowne FINIS A COPIE OF SPECIALL RECORD OF THE Homage done by Philip Archduke of Austria Earle of Flanders c. to the most Christian King of France Lewes the twelft of that name in the yeare 1499. Iohn Amys Notary and Secretary to the King our Soueraigne For somuch as it hath pleased the Noble and puissant L. Monsieur Guy of Rochefort Knight Lord of Pleuuot and of Labergemant Chauncellour of Fraunce as well of his fauour to preferre mee as to commaund and inioyne me to take a copy of the receipte of an Homage done to the King our gracious Lorde in his person by the most high most puissant Prince the Lord Philip sonne to the King of Romains Arch-duke of